


There then; Here now

by Widow_Spyder



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluffy Ending, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Medicine, References to Depression, medicine withdrawl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:29:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25771387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Widow_Spyder/pseuds/Widow_Spyder
Summary: It was no secret that most celebrities often took substances to cope with their daily lives. Whether they were good or bad substances was something for them to decide.For the Prompt:Hi! Fic request! Gen used to take antidepressants before petrification. After his return to the kingdom of science his lack of medics is slowly showing off and Senkuu is trying to find out why he's avoiding everyone more and more
Relationships: Asagiri Gen/Ishigami Senkuu
Comments: 20
Kudos: 311





	There then; Here now

It was no secret that most celebrities often took substances to cope with their daily lives. Whether they were good or bad substances was something for them to decide. 

Gen had been one of those celebrities. Not the ones that ruined their lives on substances, of course, but one that took medicine to make life easier. He was careful and worked diligently with his doctor and therapist to make sure he never got a dosage wrong and always took it on time. And they helped, they really did. Since he was always on the road, performing shows and being on tour, the assistance his medicine provided to help me look forward to the next day was something Gen appreciated. 

Then he woke up, 3,700 years in the midst of a war in a world untouched by even the simplest modern device. 

Despite everything that was going on, Gen noticed the absence of his meds within the second day of being de-petrified. The symptoms his doctor had told him about if he stopped taking his medicine too early and too fast, started kicking in as soon he woke up. Gen was lightheaded and tired despite sleeping a full night and experienced chills from even the slightest breeze throughout the day. It got to the point where he had to ask Yuzuriha for an extra overcoat layer just to stay warm. 

Tsukasa, while a familiar face, was not exactly the right person at the time to go to for a problem that needed a modern solution. It seemed the highschooler wanted to purge all thoughts of the modern world, leaving behind nothing. While Gen did understand some part of Tsukasa’s reasoning, it didn’t make it easier to suddenly go without his medication as the next week blurred into bouts of headaches, even more, chills, weird dreams, and worse anxiety. Finally, when he seemed assimilated enough to their new world, Tsukasa pulled him aside and into the forest. That afternoon he was briefed with a mission and a long journey that would start the next morning. 

While he’d never admit it, Gen laid in his bedroll that night shaking, not from cold, but excitement. 

It turns out he was right to feel excited that night. After three long hard days of navigating the path alone, Gen was presented with an entirely new scene. A village with lots of people just starting to learn about science from their soon to be leader. _Senku._

The next two weeks are another blur of events, but instead of feeling miserable with his lack of medication back in the Empire of Might, Gen completely forgot his withdrawal and enjoyed his time in the science kingdom from watching Senku create electricity and light to getting beat up by some muscly idiot for some magic tricks he performed to fool them. While he could’ve gone without the pain that came from that last part, Gen found he couldn’t care very much; he was having too much fun. 

The problems really start when he gets back to the science kingdom and finally lets himself relax a little after lying to Tsukasa and secretly switching sides. The days felt like they got slower despite winter creeping in and their flurry of projects escalating for the final result. It was strange to imagine the ‘phone’ Senku talked about, but Gen trusted Senku by then to just go along with it. Winter was always a tougher time back in the modern world, so he had his hands full. 

It’s during one of their harsher snow days that Gen takes a step back and really starts to yearn for the medicine he used to take. The laps he took around the science kingdom, gathering supplies, and alternating between helping Senku or Kaseki started making his limbs ache with the prospect of it. Gen blames it on the cold when it takes him longer to walk between the different kingdoms areas. It annoys him, and it’s getting to be more and more often that he has to catch himself from snapping harshly when someone talks to him. Sleep is harder to come by now as well, which only makes his attitude worse as his strength to keep himself normal begins to wane. 

He doesn’t expect the others to understand it. Everyone in the science kingdom is bright and bubbly and excited for the new days. Whereas he can’t even get out of bed without dreading it. 

His solution, while not the best he could’ve come up with, is just to walk away. Gen walks into the forest during his breaks and doesn’t stop until the loud noises from the others fades away and doesn’t grate on his ears. He stops when he can’t walk on anymore. When the silence swarms him, and he can’t tell if it’s better or worse than the noise. Either way, it’s there in the middle of the forest that Gen stays away. He can’t tell exactly how long, but no one questions him when he comes back, so Gen takes that as a plus. He feels less strung up when he returns. Like the irritability and annoyance in him turned to resignation and tiredness. 

It’s better this way. He can’t snap and hurt the people he’s come to care for if he’s too mentally tired to even form a sentence. It’s easier to stay away. He just hopes Senku doesn’t notice.

——————

Senku noticed. And he can’t get it out of his head no matter how hard he tries. Is he worried? Gen’s older than literally everyone in their little science kingdom group, including Kinrou and Ruri. If he were troubled by something, he’d voice it, right? Gen wouldn’t hide things… He’s already proved that he’s on their side. He’d tell him at least in privacy, wouldn’t he?

His disappearances are growing more and more frequent with longer time in between, and he doesn’t know why. Could Gen be having second thoughts about joining them? _No no, there’s not enough sufficient evidence to support that,_ Senku thinks as he fights the urge to chew on his charcoal writing stick. He needs to work with the facts instead of indulging in ‘what if’s.’

He knows this behavior started shortly after Gen returned from fooling Tsukasa. Roughly 16 days to be exact when Gen spoke less than usual one day. What he didn’t know was the origin of the behavior. Was the behavior apparent when they first met? Was he like this when Tsukasa de-petrified him? 

He knows the behavior causes Gen to disassociate from everyone else. Leaves him slower, probably from the lack of sleep he gets since tossing and turning all night does not equal up to a good rest. Gen seems colder, shivering more, despite the heavy layers he wears, and his mood wavers throughout the day. 

Senku knows Gen hasn’t caught a virus, but he seems and acts like he does feel sick. Maybe it was more of a mental feeling causing the physical feelings? The situation was pretty similar to something he had witnessed when he was younger. Not quite the same but very similar... 

“Senku!” Suika's voice interrupted his thoughts as she ran into the lab. 

Senku put down his work and turned towards her with a hum. “What is it, Suika?” 

“Grandpa Kaseki told me to tell you that a blizzard was coming.” She said, pointing outside towards the dark clouds forming. 

Senku nodded, glad he taught the villagers the necessary precautions for storms no matter how small. “Okay, was a headcount done? Is everyone safely stowed in their huts with supplies?” 

“Mhm! Everyone’s already safe, but…” Suika trailed off, looking towards the forest then back to Senku with worry twinkling behind her eye glasses. “Gen isn’t back yet.”

That sent an icy chill down Senku's back. Gen had been gone for an hour already and from the forest he wouldn't be able to see the clouds forming through the leaves. “I’ll find him, go stay with Kaseki, alright?” Senku said, patting Suika on the head as she nodded and rolled away through the piling snow. Small snowflakes were already falling from the sky, signaling their soon heavy descent coming to cover them. In other words, he needed to move fast and find Gen before they got trapped. 

It’s hard at first to track him. Senku goes the usual way through the forest that Gen goes through but finds multiple footprints weaving back and forth and in circles around the trees like Gen was randomly walking in between trees without caring if he got lost. 

When he finally does stumble upon him, he’s sitting up against a tree, seemingly uncaring to his clothes half soaked through from the wet ground. His head is covered in snowflakes, which also gather on top of his shoulders and even his eyelids. Gen seems… Out of it, when he steps near, obviously lost in his own world to the point where he probably doesn’t notice the near puddle he’s sitting in. Despite Senku’s best efforts, Gen still flinches when he nears, abruptly pulling out of his head as the snow crunches under his footfalls, alerting him to his presence. 

“Slacking off, are you, mentalist?” Senku asked, trying hard to stay casual as if he hadn’t just interrupted a deep moment Gen was in. 

It took a moment for an answer to come. “Something like that.” Gen shrugged as he uncurled from his ball and winced at the state of his clothes. Senku couldn’t tell what worried him more. The prove that Gen had not, in fact, noticed he was nearly soaking wet for what has probably already been an hour or the state of his voice. His tone was lackluster and monotoned. As if Gen had pulled it out of himself with force. Senku was about to ask if something was wrong when Gen beat him to it.

Gen smiles, fake and dull. “But it looks like you caught me, Senku-chan, meanie. So I guess that means I have to go back to work now.” He says, slowly standing up and brushing himself off. 

“Uh sure, yeah.” Senku responds automatically, still reeling from Gen’s odd behavior when he notices the slip-up. “Wait, no. Works over, there’s a blizzard coming. We need to head back.” 

“I see.” Gen nodded as he started walking towards the direction of the village, leaving Senku practically gaping. “Guess we better go back then.” Gen called over his shoulder, snapping Senku out of his thoughts.

“Y- yeah.” Senku walked forward, joining Gen as they walked back in silence. It was only when they were near the village that it dawned on Senku what could be wrong. It makes sense, now that Senku thinks about it. He wants to help, but confronting him won’t do any good. He needs to wait for Gen to come to him. Senku just hopes he does it soon.

——————

The bad days are worse than Gen remembers. When physically moving is impossible, and he’s stuck under thin blankets, alone in a cold hut while snow pounds the roof. The fire in the heater Senku had made for all of the village huts had long since died during the night, and now nothing was keeping Gen warm despite the winter clothes he’d worn to sleep and the three blankets on top of him. He still shivers as if it were snowing inside the hut rather than outside. There’s a part of his mind, that isn’t being ruled over by tiredness that screams at him to get up and relight the fire.

He can’t move. 

Even the smallest of finger flutters is exhausting, and he can’t seem to will himself to move beyond that. But he’s late to get up and needs to go to work soon. He’s wasted too much time already, and if he isn’t careful, someone is going to get suspicious and confront him, which is the opposite of what he wants. 

So Gen tries to force himself up, which doesn’t work at all in his favor and somehow makes him feel worse than before. The beginnings of a headache are creeping in, and nausea has taken to coating the back of his throat. It’s only through sheer willpower that he doesn’t break down out of frustration right then and there, which is how he ends up missing the door creaking open and the snow-covered figure entering. 

“Gen? Are you in here?” Senku’s familiar voice seemed to echo through the small hut, silencing every thought running through Gen’s head. “There you are, mentalist.” Senku said, relief palatable in his tone. From underneath the blanket he was in, Gen could hear Senku’s clothes ruffling as he moved to crouch down next to him before Senku groaned, obviously noticing the burnt-out heater. “Seriously? You’ll catch a cold in here.” Senku scolded, as he moved to feed the heater more wood and light it back up. Blessed warmth flooded the room a second later, making Gen suddenly realize just how cold it had become. “Better?” Senku asked Gen, who mentally froze. This is where he has to give a verbal answer and assure Senku that everything was fine. The problem is that Gen can’t get his mouth to move. The words are stuck in his throat, but they won’t come out. Instead, Gen gives a curt nod, hoping the message will get across without prompting any questions. Luckily Senku seemed understanding. “Good, do you mind if I rest my legs for a little bit?” Another nod, and Gen hears Senku sit down next to him and silent. 

_Now would be the time,_ Gen thinks. Tell Senku everything and give him his request to make him some new world medicine to help him. He knows he can’t go through this for another few months if he wants to find out what happens between Senku and Tsukasa. All he needs to do is ask; Gen assures himself as he slowly, tentatively removes part of his head from under the blankets.

“Sen-” Gen tries, stopping immediately as his voice cracks harshly. He clears his throat and tries again. “Senku.” Gen internally cheers as his voice comes out smooth, and manages to get Senku’s attention. “There’s something I’d like to ask you to make for me.” He whispers as if he’s scared someone else is listening. The response he gets is not what he was expecting. 

Senku smiles at him, patting the exposed part of his head gently. “Yes, I can make them, Gen.” 

“How’d you know?” Gen asks as he removes himself further from his blanket pile. 

“Taiju.” Senku said, making Gen raise his eyebrows in confusion. Senku chuckled and continued to explain. “He went through something similar after he lost some important people to him. We were young, so I researched to figure out what was wrong and what could help. Eventually, he got better as time passed.” 

“Big puppy dog Taiju? I can’t see it, honestly.” Gen said, smiling a little as he imagined Taiju now, bright and optimistic. 

Senku’s smile widened as he noticed Gen’s smaller one, finally getting a little emotion out of him. “Everyone takes things differently.”

“I suppose you’re right about that.” Gen sighed. 

“What else could help?” Senku asked as he leaned back against his elbows. “I’ve heard weighted blankets can help too. Would schedules work as well? I can create one for you to follow, so you have something to do. It’ll take me a little while until I can get the ingredients that I need to create your meds. Did you have a custom schedule to take them? How many milligrams did you take? Was there a certain brand-” Senku suddenly stopped as he felt Gen pat his hand, a little giggle escaping past his lips. 

“Senku-chan, you’re rambling.” Gen teased as Senku felt himself blush. “Thank you, I’ll - I’ll let you know if I need anything else.” Gen continued, as both of them calmed down a little. 

Senku laid down fully, turning on his side to face Gen. “You better, mentalist. Doesn’t matter what it is. All you need to do is ask.” Senku’s eyebrows scrunched in thought before he added. “Or just write a request if asking is too much.”

Gen smiled and nodded, lifting the blankets on top of him, so they covered Senku as well. “Can we stay here?” Gen asked, yawning a second later, making Senku huff in amusement. 

“Yeah, as long as you want. We can stay as long as you want.”

**Author's Note:**

> Another prompt! Thank you to sfh-manganerd on Tumblr for the request! Have a great day! 
> 
> My classes restart soon! AH I'm going to try and get the rest done before then but I can't promise anything unfortunately. I'm very sorry it's taking me so long to get the fics out :( 
> 
> While my inbox is closed, there are still many requests left I have to complete so look forward to those!
> 
> As always I hope you enjoyed it and Thank You for reading this far!


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